New Fluval 205

[justjon]

Hi all,

I've just purchased a Fluval 205, and noticed it says you can customise and add different types of media to it, is this needed, or worth doing? I believe it comes with Carbon and Pre-Filtration media, aswell as sponges ofcourse. But I see you can get ammonia/nitrate medias and more, would anyone recommend I get anything else in it pre-setup?

A quick answer would be appreciated as looking at setting up within next hour or so

Also, what would be the best way to "swapover" to the new filter from my internal juwel? I'm planning on cutting the internal one out, but I was thinking of firing the Fluval up and using them both together for a week so that bacteria can get into the fluval, then taking the juwel out?

Will this be ok, and it wont "over-filter" the tank? Is a week also long enough? It's a mature tank.

 

[minxfishy]

Place the juwel sponges (assuming thats what you have in the juwel internal) in the trays or cut them and place them in the sponge slots that are in the Fluval, use them all if you can. Usually in Fluval externals as well as the sponges it comes with ceramic noodles/bio balls that fit in the bottom trays, again use as many of them as you can. You dont need the carbon bags, so remove them completely, carbon is only useful for removing medication from the tank, so keep it in case you need them.

You will need to run the old media from the Juwel for a minimum of 4 weeks before removing it, that will give the new media time to grow the bacteria required to keep the tank cycled.

 

[justjon]

Thanks minx

There is a bag of carbon, I was planning on putting this in only because I have a colour problem in the tank at the moment due to bogwood.

So in short, cut as many sponges as possible into small pieces, and stuff them in the 3 trays in the filter (even if crammed etc for a bit?).

What's your opinion on the extra medias you can get?

 

[minxfishy]

Yep either in the trays or in the sponge part (not using the fluval sponges) you dont need to cut them too small, the larger the surface area the better as the filtered water wont miss them.

You dont need nitrAte removal stuff or ammonia removal media (assuming this is what your talking about as extra media?), water changes remove the nitrAtes and you dont want to remove ammonia as the filter media does this for you, if you dont feed the ammonia bacteria it will start to die off and then as the ammonia removal media comes to the end of its usefulness you will end up with a mini cycle.

Just use the sponges (mature sponges from your juwel) and the ceramic media in the fluval, you can use some fine filter floss (if you have it) to catch the small particles if you wish too, a layer on the top tray will be enough. If you want to use the carbon then go ahead, but remember to remove it in a couple of weeeks as it loses its usefulness and although unconfirmed I believe, can start to leech nasties back into the tank water as it becomes saturated. Tannins from bogwood arent harmful and are usually kept under control with water changes.

 

[justjon]

No problem, i'll use the carbon to get rid of the tannins for a week or two then remove it, can I use it again if needed after dried?

The juwel sponges are square aswell as thick, where as the ones from the Fluval are long rectangular and thin, so they wont fit where the fluval sponges go, could I cut the top parts off the juwel sponges and place a mix layer of these in the top tray of the fluval? I just want to be careful not to lose all the bacteria or atleast as less as possible.

 

[minxfishy]

No you cant use it again.

You could cut the juwel sponges thru the middle making them thinner and then shape to fit into the trays, so layer of ceramic media in each tray with some juwel sponge over the ceramic, that way the water filtering through will pass the mature media in each level. It wont effect the flow that much and after 4 - 6 weeks, the rest of the media in the fluval, its ceramics and sponges, will have matured enough to remove the juwel sponges and top up the trays with more of the ceramic media supplied, or alternatively just leave it in, no real need to remove it unless you want to.

 

[justjon]

No worries I am in the process of fitting it now, the lid wont close with the hoses over so going to have to cut the lid slightly I think which will be a hard job!

 

[minxfishy]

Stanley knife to cut the lids, mark out what neeeds to be cut and gently cut them.

 

[justjon]

All went well, now switched off the old filter and moved as much media as I could to the new Fluval, all but one big sponge and 3 little cut-offs.

Will do that for the lid

The power flow seems quite harsh so I may have to invest in a spread-pipe.

Only problem I have now is that I tried with a long Stanley knife to cut the internal Jewel box out, and couldn't get the blade at all behind the black box.... is there a method or anyone who's done this?

 

[minxfishy]

You should be able to adjust the angle of the outflow pipe, towards the back or side glass, depending on how you position it, this will reduce the flow a bit, but the fish will adjust to the flow anyway.

Ive used sharp long handled kitchen knives in the past to remove the internal, using the long blades to cut between the silione and filter box, the extra silicone (if any) left on the glass, remove with a razor blade or similar (mind your fingers), alternatively people use a pallet knife.

 

[justjon]

Ah - well, it seemed even a small blade couldnt fit behind too well though, knives are a bit thicker?

I'll give it another go when I get back home tonight...

Hopefully all fish will live happily after the change

 

[justjon]

Oh, the other problem I have is that the tank is right into the wall, so I can't even see where the silicone is to cut it if I can get there!

 

[justjon]

Have cut through the top two back pieces of silicone, now for the sides which are a bit harder... I hope thats all that holds it and there arent any near the bottom end?

 

[justjon]

Now got it out wow, what a difference to the tank it makes not having that huge black box in the corner!

 

[justjon]

Would appreciate anyone letting me know how to remove the remaining silicone from the glass, I tried a razer but no such luck

Here is a before & after =)

The little filter is coming out shortly to go into the hospital tank where I will be putting a bully.